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I don't know if anyone has seen this, but prospect 361 posted their top 100. I'm not a fan of it. I saw it linked from minor league ball with positive comments. But a site that has Szczur as the 4th best Cubs prospect at this point is not very good. The top 100 doesn't seem that bad. Low on Baez and Soler. Almora is probably fairly ranked.

I don't see why it should be such a hard sell to start Soler in Daytona. He handled the MWL fine in his limited exposure there; he'll be 21 to start the season; Daytona has the better early season climate, which is much more comparable to that which Soler is used to, etc. I've been under the assumption that he and Baez would be the 3/4 hitters down there to start the season.

Originally Posted by SenorGato

McNutt could use some time in the pen to get his act back together. Maybe if he does he gets a chance to start down the road.

That seems like a legit possibility, given what we've already seen from the new FO.

That seems like a legit possibility, given what we've already seen from the new FO.

To not overcredit the FO, the Earl Weaver method of developing SPs through bullpen usage is well out there. McNutt doesn't have his act together starting so throw him in the pen and see where he's at after some time.

To not overcredit the FO, the Earl Weaver method of developing SPs through bullpen usage is well out there. McNutt doesn't have his act together starting so throw him in the pen and see where he's at after some time.

Oh, no doubt it's been used by other organizations. I'm just stating that we've already seen Samardzija go back to the rotation last year, and this year Cabrera and Bowden are both getting stretched out a bit. It's a pretty new concept to the Cubs.

The bigger leap forward is probably in informing us of what is going on. Cabrera was a SP prospect as recently as 2011. Samardzija made 53 starts in the minors from 2010-2008. Goes into that whole increase in transparency stuff that Epstein has preached.

The bigger leap forward is probably in informing us of what is going on. Cabrera was a SP prospect as recently as 2011. Samardzija made 53 starts in the minors from 2010-2008. Goes into that whole increase in transparency stuff that Epstein has preached.

Most major league relievers spent a good deal of time as starters in the minors. Some organizations have given these types of players a second chance in the rotation. The Cubs, pre-current FO, were not one of them. Hell, as recently as about 3-4 years ago, if you were already relegated to the pen in High A, you were essentially considered a non-prospect. I'm not sure it's any more transparent, either. I don't remember seeing any RP/SP conversion guys in spring training during previous regimes, other than the Aaron Heilman experiment.

I know you don't want to give the super friends credit, but all the evidence is pointing in the direction that they are going to give RPs more of a chance to become a SPs than previous regimes.

Most major league relievers spent a good deal of time as starters in the minors. Some organizations have given these types of players a second chance in the rotation. The Cubs, pre-current FO, were not one of them. Hell, as recently as about 3-4 years ago, if you were already relegated to the pen in High A, you were essentially considered a non-prospect. I'm not sure it's any more transparent, either. I don't remember seeing any RP/SP conversion guys in spring training during previous regimes, other than the Aaron Heilman experiment.

I know you don't want to give the super friends credit, but all the evidence is pointing in the direction that they are going to give RPs more of a chance to become a SPs than previous regimes.

They were planning to move Samardzija back to the rotation this year going back to last year and probably well beyond it.

3-4 years ago the pitchers in the system sucked. 11 years ago Carlos Zambrano made half of his appearances out of the bullpen for the 2002 Cubs.

I can give the regime credit for executing the plan flawlessly so far, but seeds were planted.